Children's Literature Part 114

THE STAR

JANE TAYLOR

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are.

Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky.

When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing s.h.i.+nes upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.

Then the traveler in the dark Thanks you for your tiny spark; He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so.

In the dark blue sky you keep, And often through my curtains peep, For you never shut your eye Till the sun is in the sky.

As your bright and tiny spark Lights the traveler in the dark, Though I know not what you are, Twinkle, twinkle, little star.

Although Christina G. Rossetti (1830-1894) is not known primarily as a writer for children, her _Sing-Song_, from which the next seven poems are taken, is a juvenile cla.s.sic. She ranks very high among the women poets of the nineteenth century, her only equal being Mrs.

Browning. Besides the brief poems in _Sing-Song_, Miss Rossetti's "Goblin Market"

and "Uphill" please young people of a contemplative mood. While there is an undercurrent of sadness in much of her work, it is a natural accompaniment of her themes and is not unduly emphasized.

313

SELDOM OR NEVER

CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI

Seldom "can't,"

Seldom "don't"; Never "shan't,"

Never "won't."

314

AN EMERALD IS AS GREEN AS GRa.s.s

CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI

An emerald is as green as gra.s.s; A ruby, red as blood; A sapphire s.h.i.+nes as blue as heaven; A flint lies in the mud.

A diamond is a brilliant stone To catch the world's desire; An opal holds a fiery spark; But a flint holds fire.

315

BOATS SAIL ON THE RIVERS

CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI

Boats sail on the rivers, And s.h.i.+ps sail on the seas; But clouds that sail across the sky Are prettier far than these.

There are bridges on the rivers, As pretty as you please; But the bow that bridges heaven, And overtops the trees, And builds a road from earth to sky, Is prettier far than these.

316

A DIAMOND OR A COAL?

CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI

A diamond or a coal?

A diamond, if you please; Who cares about a clumsy coal Beneath the summer trees?

A diamond or a coal?

A coal, sir, if you please; One comes to care about the coal At times when waters freeze.

317

THE SWALLOW

CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI

Fly away, fly away over the sea, Sun-loving swallow, for summer is done; Come again, come again, come back to me, Bringing the summer and bringing the sun.

318

WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND?

CHRISTINA G. ROSSETTI

Who has seen the wind?

Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is pa.s.sing thro'.

Who has seen the wind?

Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is pa.s.sing by.

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